Wilder hails Liverpool loan star Woodburn

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has been raving about the progress made at the club by Liverpool loan star Ben Woodburn.

The 18-year-old arrived at Bramall Lane on a season long loan this summer, and the Wales international has helped his new team climb to third in the Championship table.

And Wilder is pleased with the player’s development: “He’s doing well and he’s been a big part in the results we’ve achieved so far,” he told the Liverpool Echo. “He’s got a great attitude, he’s a really good professional and he’s fitted in really well to the group.

“This is probably the first time he’s been involved day in day out so that was bound to take some adjusting to. Everything was factored in when the decision was made, by everyone involved, and we’re really encouraged by how he’s doing.”

OPINION

There has been such tremendous pressure on Woodburn already in his career that you forget he’s still just 18 years old. He’s already been capped eight times by Wales, however, and scored on his full debut for his country last year. It will take a little while longer for him to be integrated into the Liverpool first team, though, so it was always going to be good for him to have a spell out on loan this year. He, and Jurgen Klopp, couldn’t have picked a better club for him to go to than Sheffield United. Wilder is creating something fantastic at Bramall Lane and he isn’t afraid to play young players either, we saw that with the starring role David Brooks, now at Bournemouth, played for the Blades last term. Although he hasn’t scored yet, Woodburn is getting valuable first team experience. Championship football will be good for him, and he’ll surely return to Liverpool next season a new player.